Rotary mold mechanism



Nov. 17, 1931. VON WEBERN 1,832,066

ROTARY MOLD MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1.930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 THE. E.

atented Nov. l7, 1931 GUIDO v08 WEBERN,

or nma mb, ASSIGNOR T oxronn vnnmsn CORPORATION,

or nnzrnorr, 'M'ICEIGANQA;CORPORATION or MICHIGAN 30mm? MOLD MECHANISM i n iplicationifiled May-12,

This invention is ,concerned lfwith mechanism for forming compositiofi rolls for use with printing machines,--"such as graining machines, and particularly to mechanism for use in forming continuous surfacecom position rolls. It is practically 'essential that the working surfacejof a composition H cates a suitable;hor aontalbase from whlch roll be free from' irregularities, such as pockets and ridges. It is already known that when molten composition ro1l..mater 1al is rapidly rotated in a mold having an in -l terior surface complementary to the -ifirface which 'isdesired for the roll 'a'n'dair bubbles will be forced inwardly toward the i core of the rpll am l.g emainthej f-ter .-;the;

compositi'on'fz solidifies; this" m er. the; bubbles" are preventedfrom lea yingpockets at or near the working 'surfaceof the rolls.

An object of my invention is to'provide a composition roll forming mechanism operable on the above principle and by whicli'a large number of rolls may be finished in a comparatively short period of time and with comparatively simple and inexpensive equipment. v

A further object isto provide a machine of the character above mentioned by which the finished roll is easily and quickly removed and a new roll forming operation-f started without substantial loss of time.

A specific object is to provide an improved and simple arrangement, in a power driven rotary mold mechanism, for quickly removing and replacing composition roll mold units.

A still further object is to provide a simple device for preventing leakage of the composition material from a sectional mold, which device will not impede stripping the finished roll from the mold.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description relating to the accompanying drawings. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims."

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine incorporating my invention, partlybroken away to illustrate certain details relating to the mold support; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the machine;

1930; Serial No. 451,595.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, as indicated by the line 33 on Fig. 2,- and showing a-modified form'of lower hearing support for the mold unit, and Fig. 4 is a detailview of a suitable driving coupling 55, included in'the mold driving mechanism.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 indireferably'" rigid therewith, an upright niember 2. The base and upright may be formed of suitable structural elements, "such aschannel and angle sections,

or may comprise separate or unitary castings. I *A-j rotary mold unit is shown at M supported for-rotation on a substantially vertical axis. The lower'bearing support for the mold unit is preferably, as shown in Fig. 1. Here there is a socketed bearing member 5 having an attaching flange 6 adapted to be secured to the bottom wall of a tank 8, the tank in turn resting on and being secured to the horizontal base 1 on its upper side. The tank may be secured to the base in any suitable manner as by screws (not shown) and may be braced against the upright-frame member Q as by side brace strips 9 connecting the upright with the tank. The tank may be modified to contain any desired number of mold units. The mold unit M is adapted to be rotated by a driving gearing, to be presently de scribed, supported on the upright frame 2 and arranged to be swung down with a driving part thereof in contact with the upper end of the mold so as to both guide the mold and turn it.

The preferred construction of the mold comprises a central hollow mold member or. tube 15 of suitable material, such as brass, the interior surface of which is, of course, finished to form amatrix for the composition roll. For making cylindrical rolls, the interior surfaces of the member 15 is preferably highly polished and I propose to lend smoother and harder finish to this interior by electro-plating the same and polishing the deposited plate. g

It will be understood. that if a non-cylinr drical roll is desired, the interior of the mold will, of course, have the desired irregularities; for example, the interior of the mold member 15 may comprise a comparatively thin liner (not shown) having a pattern in relief or intaglio, by which such irregularities will be brought out in reverse relief on the molded roll.

Abutting the ends of the mold member 15, are end closure members 20 and 25. Both these members have under-cut channels in the faces thereof adjacent the mold members at 21 and 26 respectively, which channels are adapted to contain soft metal, such as ba'bbitt metal, the purpose being to effect a tight joint between the tube 15 and the closure members, to prevent leakage of the molten composition material from the mold. The members 20 and 25 also have inward extensions, at 22 and- 27 respectively, on reduced diameters, substantially fitting the interior of the tube 15, further providing tight joints.

The member 20 (Fig. 1) is centrally bored to receive the lower end of a central roll core supporting shaft 30 which, as shown in Fig.

1, extends through the member 20 into the socket of the support member 5. Suitable end thrust bearing members 31, preferably polished hardened discs, lie at the bottom of the socket, and the member 5 may have water vents at 5' to prevent water being trapped at the bottom of the socket which would of course obstruct the shaft. To facilitate plac ing the mold unit, the member 5 may have a conical flange 5'- at its upper end so arranged as to pilot the lower end of the shaft 30.

In order that the shaft may serve as. a clamping member as well as a core support, the lower end of the shaft is made substantially rigid with the bottom closure member 20 while the upper end extends freely through the upper closure member 25 so that the shaft may carry a clamping nut member at or near its upper extremity. Such nut is shown at 40 and, as shown, is part of a dental, coupling between the driving mechanism, to be presently described, and the mold. The nut member 40 is formed to receive a wrench or suitable tool, as by the squared off portion 41, above which it has spaced driving lugs 42.

It will be seen that the mold may be charged with composition'material simply by taking off the nut member 40 and the closure member 25,1eaving the tube 15 and the shaft 30 in place. The usual core for the roll. shown in broken lines at C fits over the shaft 30 and is retained centrally of themold tion is poured iii-,to cover this upper end of thecore. If there is an excess of material this may simply be trimmed off the finished roll even with the core.

The driving arrangement for the mold unit M comprises a main power shaft 50 supported on suitable brackets, two of which are shown (see Fig. 2) at 51. The brackets are mounted in any suitable manner on top of the frame member 2 and the number of brackets depends, of course, on the length of the shaft and the number of mold units in a single machine. A single shaft, such as 50, may serve to drive any number of mold units.

Pivoted about the axis of the shaft there is shown a swingable frame 52 having rearwardly extending ears 53 embracing the shaft, the ears preferably being provided with bushing bearings at at to allow free rotation of the shaft. The swingable frame 52 preferably has suitable arms extending outwardly therefrom parallel to the shaft 50 at the outer end of the frame, whereby the operator may swing the frame up and down.

In alignment with the shaft 30 (with the frame swung down), there is a short shaft having rigid therewith a driving head 61 below the swingable. frame 52. On the head are driving lugs 62 adapted to be brought in I meshing engagement with the lugs 42 on the nut member 40 of the mold unit. The head is centrally recessed as at 63 to receive the upper end of the shaft 33 as a pilot to determine and maintain the axis of rotation of the mold.

To provide a drivingconneetion from the shaft 60 to the main drive shaft 50, I preferably provide an overhead shaft 65 on suitable brackets 66 rising-from the frame 52, the remote ends of the shaft 55 having bevel gear connections with the shafts 50 and 60 respectively. As shown, there is a heel gear 70 fast on the shaft 60. and which meshes with a beveled gear 71 fast on the outer end of the shaft65. The inner end of the shaft- 65 has fastened thereto a beveled gear 72 which meshes with a bevel gear 7 3 (see Fig.

2) fast on the shaft 50. The lug formations on the nut member 40 and driving head 61 are preferably arranged similar to ratchet teeth so that the mold will only be rotated in one direction. The vertical and inclined faces on the lugs are in such relation that the power shaft 50 has to rotate counter clockwise (as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3), which rotation tends to urge the swinging frame downwardly toward the mold unit, due to friction at the bearings 52.

Referring to the modification with respect to the lower bearing support for the mold unit, namely, that shown in'Fig. 3, this is substantially the reverse of the arrangement of Fig. 1. The mold closure member, designated- 20a, is extended as at 20?) on its lower side and recessed to fit over a short shaft rising from the bottom of the tank and supported as on a flange formation 81 which tank. The recess in the extension 2012 may be beveled as at 200 to facilitate placing the mold unit on the short shaft. Interposed between the short shaft and the recess in' the closure member 20a are a plurality of thrust bearing discs 82 which, as in the previously described construction, are preferably hardened and polished. The discs may be retained in the'recess ofthe closure .member 20a in any suitablemanner. In this construction, the core supporting and mold clamping shaft 30a is threaded into the top side of the mold closure member 20a and has a beveled shoulder at 306 to center the roll core C in case the opening therein is somewhat larger than the shaft.

In operation, it will be understood that sufficient heat is maintained in the tank to keep the composition in molten state during the rotation of the mold. Hot water at suitable temperature, say 160 F. may be pumped into the tank through the inlet line 8', excess water being let out of the tank at the overflow line 8". I

The mold is preferably rotated at approximately 200 revolutions per minute for about fifteen minutes. The air and gas bubbles in the composition are thereby driven inwardly toward the core and remain there. hot water is let out of the tank and the tank filled with cold water either through the same inlet as'receives the hot water or a separate inlet as desired. The cold water is kept in the tank for a sufficient period to cool the mold enough to enable it to be handled by the operator. The operator then swings the frame 52 and driving gearingv back out of the way and lifts the mold unit straight out of its lower bearing support and the tank. The tank may then be immersed in a separate chilling tank and left there a sufficient period for the composition to entirely congeal.

It will be understood that a number of mold units may be used with a single machine, such as illustrated, keeping one or several molds charged with axmolten composition and ready to be inserted into the machine as soon as one mold unit istaken out,

thus speeding up production.

To strip the congealed composition from the mold, it is of course necessary to remove the nut member 40 and top closure member 45, after which the central shaft with the lower mold closure member may be withdrawn from the mold tube 15 and the composition. The completed composition roll, including the core, may then be shoved out of the tube ready for "use in a. suitable printing machine.

1. In a rotary mold mechanism, asupporting frame, a rotary mold, means on the sup- -e5"por t forming a bearing for one end of the Then the.

mold from which the mold is detachable by endwise movement of the mold','a power driving device swingably mounted on the supporting frame and having a driving part arranged to detachablyv engage the opposite end of the mold to complete the support, said driving device being arranged to be manually swung entirely clear of the mold to effect tion, said device being arranged to entirelyclear the mold and permit free endwise removal thereof from the tank when said device is in another position.

3. In a rotary mold mechanism, a mold adapted to turn on a "ertical axis, a frame for supporting the mold, a power shaft on the frame extending substantially at right angles to the mold axis and disposed in offset relation thereto, mold driving mechanism, comprising a swingable frame, pivoted about said power shaft, and swingable toward and away from the mold, a mold driving shaft carried on the-'swingable frame in such manner as to beswung thereby into alignment with the mold, gearing constantly connecting the mold driving shaft with the power shaft,

.and quickly detachable cooperating coupling members on the mold. driving shaft and the ment and constantly connected gearingcom pling said elements, the driven element having a clutch member and the mold having a cooperating clutch member, said clutch members being brought together when the driving gearing is swung to position the driven element in alignment with the mold.

5. In a composition roll-mold, a sectional mold unit, comprising separable parts and adapted to turn on a vertical axis, a frame, and means supported by the-frame providing a lower guiding bearing for the mold on which the mold may turn freely, a power shaft in fixed position on the frame and a driving connection, including a swingable frame member pivoted about the driving shaft and including a driving part drivingly coupled with the shaft and arranged to engage the mold to turn the same when the frame member is swung to substantially horizontal position, said driving part having means thereon forming the entire upper bearing for the mold, whereby when the swingable frame is raised, the mold unit may be lifted outof place for removal of the formed composition roll.

6. In a rotary mold, a frame having an upright portion and a horizontal portion, a tank on the horizontal portion, the sectional mold unit disposed within the tank and having a bottom bearing therefor in the tank to permit the unit to be turned bodily on a vertical axis, and a driving device, including a power shaft in fixed position on the upright portion of the frame, a frame member pivoted about the power shaft, and a bevel gear system, including a driving part, and gears connecting the same with the power shaft, said driving part being adapted to engage the upper end of the mold and turn the same when the frame member is swung to horizontalposition, the movement of the frame member being such that the entire gear system may be swung clear of the mold unit to permit free endwise removal of the unit.

7. In a rotary mold, for forming composisignature.

GUIDO VON WEBERN.

tion rolls, a hollow mold body and separable end closures therefor, a roll core supporting shaft extending through the body and one of the closure members, and being substantially rigid with the other, a nut on the shaft arranged to forcibly draw both closure members into contact with the body, there being driving lugs on the nut adapted for association with a mold driving device to rotate the mold.

8. A rotary composition roll mold construction, comprising a hollow mold body and'end closures therefor, a roll core supporting shaft extending through the body and engaging both closure members, the shaft being substantially rigid with one of said members and extending through the other, means associated with the shaft at the end thereof which extends through a closure member as aforesaid to forcibly draw the closure membersinto contact with the body, each of said closure members having anannular groove adjacent the body, there being relatively soft metal inserts in each of the grooves, forming a packing to prevent leakage of material from the mold when the same is rotated.

9. In a rotary mold, a mold unit, comprising a tube, and top and bottom closures therefor abutting the tube, a bearing support for the unit toguide the unit for rotation on a vertical axis, a shaft substantially rigid with the bottom closure and extending through the sleeve and said top closure, a clamping nut threadingly engaging the upper end of the shaft and acting on the top closure to clamp the aforesaid mold parts together, said nut having a clutch formation thereon and a 

